Philadelphia

Shoe Store Burns Causing SEPTA to Shuttle Market-Frankford El Passengers

A fire burned Tuesday morning at a shoe store causing SEPTA to shuttle passengers.

The blaze broke out around 5:30 at the Payless ShoeSource store along N Front Street near York Street in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood and quickly spread to apartments above.

The fire built to three alarms as firefighters battled the blaze from below SEPTA Market-Frankford elevated line — not far from the York-Dauphin Station.

SEPTA shuttled passengers by bus between Huntingdon and Berks Stations during the blaze.

"Don't rely on getting off at York-Dauphin Station," said SEPTA spokesman Clinton Robinson. "Everything else is running."

Some SEPTA bus routes in the area were also detoured.

Photos on social media showed dozens of SEPTA passengers out in the cold waiting to board buses as commutes came to a near halt.

No injuries were reported.

As SkyForce10 hovered overhead you could see flames shooting from the roof and plumes of thick black smoke could be seen for miles.

Firefighters said cold temperatures caused them to rotate firefighters in and out of warm buses. Executive Fire Chief Clifford Gilliam also said single-digit temperatures caused ice to form quickly and caused some hydrants to stop working.

The fire was under control around 8:15 a.m.

SEPTA service was finally restored shortly before 11 a.m.

The fire is near where two firefighters died in a five-alarm warehouse fire in April 2012.

Some nearby business owners reported damage to some inventory.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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